Stephen Yates was born in 1957 in Newcastle, where he studied violin and piano at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music. He later studied composition with Nigel Butterley and Anthony Brennan. After moving to Sydney in 1980, he continued his studies with Dr Martin Wesley-Smith at the Sydney Conservatorium.

Stephen Yates works freelance as a composer and, in 1994, was selected as one of the six finalists in the prestigious Aliénor Harpsichord Composition Awards, for his Suite for Solo Harpsichord. He has written for chamber ensembles, contemporary theatre, dance and marionette companies and is especially interested in writing for solo instrumentalists and for the voice.